I knew the moment I got pregnant that abortion seemed like a more likely option than continuing the pregnancy. Not because I wasn’t in a healthy, happy, amazing relationship (2 months away from our wedding). Not because I don’t (and haven’t always) wanted children, and not because he didn’t want children as well. I just wasn’t ready to be a mother physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially. I’m in graduate school, he recently had a career change (to a far less lucrative profession), and we had no intentions of having a baby any time soon. I had a copper IUD placed 2 years prior to this pregnancy and I put up with heavy, irregular, excruciating periods for the safety of “99+%” effectiveness.

I think the fact that I had put so much (time, money, effort) into staying baby-free made my decision a tiny bit easier—but not much. The idea of terminating a pregnancy that was the product of love, passion, commitment and all the mushy things that everyone tells you babies are made of was agonizing. But the idea of struggling financially, giving up any hopes of finishing my degree anytime soon (and thus pushing back even further any possibility of my getting a legitimate job), after experiencing an additional 7 and half months of what was already a painful pregnancy was also unbearable.

Most people I told about my pregnancy urged me to “keep the baby” because “life works itself out.” And, you know, I think that it always does but I don’t think that means that I shouldn’t continue to seek out the path I want for myself and my future family. “Working out” doesn’t always mean that a woman should struggle unnecessarily and abandon her goals to have a baby she’s not prepared to carry or parent right now.

I had a surgical abortion at 7.5 weeks without sedation. While it was painful and scary it only lasted for 5-7 minutes and gave me back the opportunity to support and provide for a stable, loving family when the time comes.

I grew up in an extremely conservative household. I remember my grandmother bringing my cousins and me to an anti-abortion rally when I was in first grade. We even sang songs in church about choosing life. For little kids, this was heavy stuff.

Now, I’m 28 years old. I’m happily married, and I have a five-year-old daughter. I could not dream of having a better life. Unfortunately, things took a downhill turn when I found out I was pregnant last week. My husband and I are perfectly happy with one child. We both agreed that we do not want anymore, and we were actually looking into getting him a vasectomy in the next few months. I immediately called Planned Parenthood.

Those people truly are amazing. Everyone at the office was welcoming and harbored no judgement at all. They answered every question I had and more. With all of the criticism and harsh words they get, those people are the closest to saints I have ever known.

I did the medical abortion with the pill yesterday. I had taken the first pill on Friday at Planned Parenthood and felt fine all day. Once I woke up Saturday morning, I began to feel queasy, and I ended up throwing up in a bag at the pharmacy while I waited on my prescription for pain medication to be filled. Saturday evening I took the rest of the pills, the ones that you hold in your cheek for half an hour then swallow. Within an hour and a half, the cramps had started and I had a mild fever. After two hours, I had started spotting. Soon after, I had diarrhea, which the doctor said to expect. When I was pooping, that was when most of the blood and tissue came out as well. I’m sorry this part of the story is so gross, but that’s the case with some of these things, I’m afraid. For the rest of the evening, the cramping and fever remained, but the bleeding slowed down to almost nothing.

It’s been 24 hours since I took those last four pills, and I feel amazing. No nausea, no fever, and just a tiny bit of cramping. I’m bleeding less right now than I usually do on my period.

I have no regrets for having an abortion. If anything, I am relieved and extremely proud of my decision. In our case, it was most definitely the responsible way to go. I love my daughter and would happily die for her, but I do not ever want to have another baby.

I am most thankful right now for the doctors and staff at Planned Parenthood. Those people deal with unwanted pregnancies, rape victims, HIV positive people, teenage moms, STD’s and god knows what else all day every day and they STILL all had smiles on their faces. And the majority of people in the world know them as nothing but “baby-killers”. I don’t believe in Heaven, but if I did, there would be a special place for the staff of Planned Parenthood up there for them.

For most women posting, it’s been a while since their abortion. I’m currently doing it now via pill.

I had started seeing a guy around two months and had unprotected sex once last month. After that we used protection (high school comes into mind when I get to this part; “It only takes once!”) but that day, I knew there was a high chance I would be pregnant. Just in case though, I kept track of the weeks, took a pregnancy test at my doctors office, and surprise! I’m pregnant. I’m at an early five weeks.

You may ask why am I posting this during the actual process, I probably won’t remember the pain since that’s what I do… I forget. I want others to know my story and the slight pain.

What I’m feeling right now is extreme cold (probably due to the anemia) and slight pain due to the cramping. A few hours after I took the first pill that stops the growth for the fetus, I felt very nauseous (one of the side effects of the pill). Now that I took the 4 remaining pills that is when the pain kicked in.

Only two people know that I’m doing this since most people I know are pro-life, including my family members. I’ve been pregnant before, but I kept her even against my ex’s objection.

Knowing now the pain and heartache I went through with her and him, I couldn’t put another life through that. The man I’m seeing now I’ve only known him for 2 months and he doesn’t know what I’m doing either.

I’ve made peace with what I’m doing for I feel it’s the right thing to do.

If no one understands me, I do apologize. It’s hard to type like this.

-My daughter is a healthy two year old terror. I’m not with the father anymore due to personal reasons, but I’m very happy and successful single mother.

It wasn’t the right time, the right relationship, the right anything for a pregnancy. It wasn’t right and by the time I realized I had put my life on cruise control and had stopped caring for the sake of not feeling, it was far too late, the damage was done.

I knew as soon as I’d read the result of the first test, and the next one after it. I wasn’t going to settle and give up my college dreams, to be stuck in our sinkhole town hopelessly lost in a relationship that was meant to keep me from ever seeing any of my ambitions realized. I wasn’t going to live that life. I do not regret having my abortion, despite all the conflicting feelings it caused, which were nearly all from my boyfriend at the time and he has never, to my knowledge, let it go. He paid for it, agreed to it, but he waited until the very end if our relationship to tell me. As I was finally breaking away and showing him it was over, he told me he never wanted me to abort. I knew it was because he’d have an excuse to keep me in his life, that one way or another, he would always have me backed into a corner, with a baby.

I remember being in the recovery room, lying back with my eyes closed. There was a young, pretty African-American woman to my left reclining too. She had turned to me and said “How far along were you?” It sounded like the way people in prison ask “What are you in for?” of “How long are you in for?” I told her how long and we looked at each other for a few seconds. It occurred to me we were both smiling and I closed my eyes again. She had told me with her eyes it would all be okay. I had said the exact same to her. Our time was up, we were out, and neither of us had a regret in the world about this decision.

I made my decision the moment both tests showed positive. I had made my peace. I knew I was going to be okay. I’m still okay three years later. I’m doing better than ever. I’ve made the Dean’s List twice and look forward to graduating in two years and keeping my dreams rolling, always ready to flower. I can never regret the choice I made and refuse to feel differently when someone passes judgment on me. That’s your life. This is mine. That wasn’t the right time, the right relationship, anything. I’m never going to live my life like that again. I’m living and loving and never regretting. You can’t tie me down; I’ve already been free for a long, long while.

I am writing this because before my abortion I looked online and found NO correct information about what to expect. I am not putting this up to make anyone angry or upset but to try and help someone who might want to know what they really need to expect.

I will start by telling you I am very happy and am in a fantastic relationship but we did not want to bring a child into the world when we couldn’t support it.

The morning of the abortion we got to the hospital early, I had had blood tests done before I went in so I went first and saw a doctor who gave me an ultrasound to see how far along I was. She then gave me panadol and a tablet that (if I remember correctly) softens the utiras and gets the process started. They told me to expect a little blood during this time.

I then went on and saw another doctor who spoke to me about my pill and changing to something else.

After about an hour I was told to go downstairs to the surgical waiting room where I had to go alone.

I went in and waited again before I was called into another doctors room where she asked me questions about my health and I took out my piercings and took off my makeup. I also got changed into one of those lovely hospital gowns.

They took me into another waiting room where there were 5 other girls (all there for the same thing) and one by one they all left for their operations.

They called me in after about half an hour and I was put onto a bed. Here they put a drip in my hand and gave me something to keep me calm. They wheeled me into the surgical suite and put me to sleep.

I woke up in the recovery room and the nurse tole me I was there for 45 minutes. After the time was up I was moved to a seat where they gave me toast and a cup of tea because I had been fasting all day and night.

The nurse then told me I was ready to get changed and took me into a bathroom where she checked the pad they put on me in surgery to check all was good. They then called my boyfriend who came a got me straight away.

Everyone was really nice.

It was a horrible day but I did not feel anything, woke up a bit sore but nothing horrible.

Please feel free to ask me any questions.

I hope you understand that this post is up because I did not find any information that was accurate before my surgery.